Never Mind, It’s Too Cold: Thermal Stress and a Decrease in Self-control Self-efficacy

Abstract

One of the most common occupational stressors is thermal stress, or discomfort due to an environment being too hot or too cold. Although thermal stress is relatively harmless in most occupations, the discomfort may influence workers motivation to attempt a task. The current study seeks to understand the relationship between thermal stress and self-control. Using a between-subjects design, 76 participants performed two traditional self-control and motivation-based tasks in a comfortable or uncomfortably cold condition. They then subjectively estimated their ability to exercise self-control. Results show that being uncomfortably cold did not impact the ability to perform tasks which required self-control and motivation, but did make participants feel as though they were incapable of exercising self-control and motivation. These results provide evidence that we calibrate our perception of personal self-control ability based on comfort, and recalibrate to fit thermally stressful situations before we make an attempt – never mind, it’s too cold.